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Vail Resorts' SSV Acquires O2GearShop.com

Publish Date

07/07/2011

SAM Magazine-Broomfield, Colo., July 7, 2011-Specialty Sports Venture (SSV), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vail Resorts, has acquired the assets of Outdoor Outlet, LLC, which operates O2GearShop.com, an online outdoor/snowsports retailer that drew more than 2 million total visits last year.

"The addition of O2GearShop.com is a significant opportunity that will allow SSV to now offer an online shopping experience to its broad customer base," said Jeff Jones, co-president and chief financial officer of Vail Resorts. "This acquisition is a perfect complement for Specialty Sports Venture, which will be able to leverage its strong vendor relationships and its wide exposure to the snowsports consumer through its more than 150 stores in five states and the broad connections that Vail Resorts has through all of its online and digital media channels."

The O2GearShop.com team, including founder Taylor Olsen, will remain with the company. Olsen will report to Kat Jobanputra, COO and executive vice president of SSV.

"Following on the heels of the most successful year in our 15-year history, with the addition of 18 new stores, including the retail presence at Northstar-at-Tahoe, Specialty Sports Venture and Vail Resorts are well positioned to continue the momentum. Our expertise, customer relationships and vendor partnerships will allow us to significantly expand the O2GearShop.com business model while providing even greater value to our customers," said Jobanputra. SSV plans a series of enhancements to the O2GearShop.com site leading up to the start of the 2011-12 ski and snowboard season.

The acquisition extends VR's online reach and broadens the company's role in winter sports. A year ago, VR purchased online resort news site OnTheSnow.com. This latest purchase has the potential to make VR a major player in online retailing, in addition to its dominant role in specialty retail, online information, and destination resorts.